Entrepreneur's Table

Friday, November 23, 2007

"My Power Mall" is a new business and/or saving opportunity that is just in time for Christmas - You can get it set up by Monday which is expected to be the biggest day ever for online Christmas shopping.

Thursday, September 20, 2007

These words and ideas are mine and reflect only my opinions, but they are deep convictions and they have led me to forms some relationships with organizations that address some of the inequities I have observed in society.

Is the American ideal of liberty and justice for all a reality?

It may be more so in the setting of criminal law than practical law. Even in criminal law, the outcomes are often inadequate.

In a system where there is little relevance in the trial and punishment to the victim and minimal relationship between the entities and issues involved and the final outcome, this is an important consideration - the right of the victim to address the victimizer and confront that person with the impact of his or her crime.

Of secondary, but great importance, is the impact that such speech makes upon juries and judges in sentencing.

What it fails to address is any notion of restorative justice, reconciliation, or restitution, but merely fits within the status quo of a systems that tends to run on its own steam in its own predetermined direction.

Nor does it address the inequities in the system where the poor are often inadequately represented, where dispute resolution in civil matters is weighed to the advantage of the privileged, where prisons are becoming factories for the training and production of hardened criminals, and where victims get warm and temporary feelings of being "vindicated," but no resolution comes to address restoring what they have lost.

It is a rather unimaginative system where advocates of reform generally look within the system as it is to revise and improve rather than affect radical overhaul in thinking and implementation of justice.

Justice is not retribution, but neither ought it be divorced from the emotional realities that crime actually damages relationships, causes pain, and brings loss to people. That is is true for crime, and equally true for injustices in business and family relationships that fall into the arena of civil law.

Other considerations in the matter of justice for all include assuring the integrity of the gathering and presentation of truth by enforcing civil rights protections to all citizens equally. It requires giving equal access to all citizens to courts and due process as a way of redressing civil concerns. It necessitates fairness that balances a sterile dispassionate process with a fair, compassionate, and empathetic cadre of real people dealing with real people.

There are some real heroes in the system and have recently featured one in a posting,

Criminal justice is meaningless and punishment is a mockery if the state is not compelled to prove its case against its citizens beyond a reasonable doubt with honesty and the purest of motives. It is equally meaningless unless every effort and overture has not been made toward restoration of the victim and, if possible, the broken relationships.

An adversarial system, at its best is designed to insure fairness. In practice, it sometimes circumvents the possibility of reconciliation, full disclosure of truth, public safety interests, and redemption of human potential. The awful truth is that we are all flawed human beings with an imperfect system and inadequate resources.

We just have to do the best we can, but we must keep striving.

A disturbingly and tragically growing minority of the population will come into contact with the criminal justice system as defendants or victims. Each must be afforded their rights and laws must address the process that insure accurate verdicts, appropriate sentences, and proper restitution.

However, a majority of Americans will come into contact with every day law, legal questions, contracts, covenants, and matters where legal advice could give them an advantage and, at least, a fair shake.

At the moment, we have the system we have. It is imperfect, but it is what it is and is among the best in history for large societies. we all partake of it and the question is, how well we can avail ourselves of our rights.

Everyone needs a will.

Everyone will sign legal papers at some point in their lives.

We all make major purchases. We all come into conflict with perplexing legal questions. Most of us marry and have children. We get sued or threatened with suits. We get traffic tickets, have accidents, incur liability, and have job related disputes - often between well meaning and decent parties.

Whenever possible, mediation is the best course. However, knowing the law and receiving good advice can often help people avoid legal entanglements, broken relationships, and financial hardships.

The sad fact is that most people fall into the great middle place between those who are entitled to free representation and those who can afford private counsel.

That was the place that Harland Stonecipher found himself in years ago and became the impetus for his vision to bring "Justice for All" to a reality for ordinary people through Pre-Paid Legal. Though I am an independent associate, my comments here in no way reflect their official position. What will accurately portray Pre-Paid Legal's views and story is a documentary set to air on Court TV on September 29. I urge my friends to watch and become informed. For more information, anyone can check out my links back to the company's web sites.

For more information on Pre-Paid Legal services, click picture or go to my site.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

People have differing views of work ranging from dread to excitement - but very view people relish working in vain. We want something to show for our efforts.

In the fifteenth chapter of his first letter to Corinth, the Apostle Paul admonishes his friends, "Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

Perhaps the Corinthians suspected that it all might be for naught.

Everyone who uses a computer to communicate deeply felt convictions and intricate concepts has had the experience of seemingly working in vain. We have labored over thoughts and words for intense periods of time and have finally formulated those ideas into concrete sentences when the computer suddenly crashes and all is lost.

All of that for nothing! But not really.

We have meditated, wrestled, and have been shaped by truth. We may have to step away, take a break, or lick our wounds. However, the next time we write the same thing, it comes out a bit differently, but it comes nevertheless.

The process was about what was happening inside of us and not what was occurring on the screen or the page.

It is often that way.

The occasion for Paul's encouraging words was twofold. It came in recognition of the people's present concerns. All truth is wrapped in a veneer of present reality. We live in context and experience the full range of what it means to be human. We know pains and joys, satisfaction and discouragement. It is all a part of life. Add to that the ever-present, looming threat of death that eventually will overtake us all and we may wonder, "What is it all about?"

The second occasion he addresses is the future conviction that people of faith are going somewhere, that the resurrection of Jesus Christ has something more than an historical significance to His followers. In the earlier verses of the chapter, he expresses the conviction that resurrection hope is shared among all who embrace Jesus and live in the power of His death and life.

Everything has meaning, even the mundane and tedious experiences of life.

What follows is a threefold admonition. The NIV uses the words, "Stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself to the work of the Lord."

The first admonition is to STAND.

It is hard to stand when the ground is shaking. For that reason, people who intend to live forever must find deeper grounding for their lives. They (we) cannot be controlled by our circumstances or our emotions. These are a part of our reality; they are not the sum total of it

"My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness."

Another way he could have said this might have been, "Don't lose your footing." Remember what you believe. Remember where you are going. remember why you are doing what you are doing. Reconnect with what stabilizes you in your resolve and commitment.

Someone has said that if you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.

The second admonition is to WITHSTAND. "Let nothing move you."

We have some choices to make about what we will allow to move us. I choose God and God alone.

It is easy to place one's life in neutral when bombarded by a cacophony of voices and a barrage of influences all vying for our attention and compliance. Everyone wants our ears and our acquiescence.

That is what Paul is saying when he encourages the folks not to be moved.

Of course we need to challenge our presuppositions, prejudices, comfortable notions, and assumptions. He is not addressing these. He is talking about our life mission, or unchanging purpose for living, our devotion to God and His vision within us, and the work that we are called to do.

Keep on keeping on. Be not easily dissuaded from the cause. Persevere. Expect to be maligned, attacked, challenged, and inconvenienced, but stay with it.

The third admonition is to ABOUND.

He says we are to abound in the work of the Lord, always giving ourselves to it. The first admonition was abound grounding; the second was about rebounding in the face of opposition. Now we are looking at the call to be abounding in work itself.

It is about full engagement, heart devotion, energy investment, and enthusiasm.

"Whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it with thy might."

You can stand with deep conviction and withstand with stubborn tenacity, but it takes the power of the Holy Spirit within you to abound. You must rely on a strength greater than your own to fully engage.

The word "enthusiasm" means "God within."

The word, "inspired" means "breathed upon," as though by the very breath of God.

"Motivated" really means "moved to action."

Abound. As you know in the physical world, the body requires rest, replenishment of energy through nutrition, and exercise to abound. The health system Kaiser calls it "thrive."

In the realm of work that has abiding significance and eternal implications, the same is true. We must nourish ourselves spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and physically to abound in our work. Paul says that our labor is in the Lord which means that He supplies the tasks as well as the ability to do them.

Some of the tools we have for abounding are true for ministry, business, and social endeavors:

READ - For me, part of the diet, the biggest part, is the Bible, but I also read instructive, encouraging, motivating, and challenging books and articles from many sources.

PRAY - Engage in an honest, ongoing, satisfying, and open relationship with the Source of your life. "Pray without ceasing."

RELATE and PARTNER - In Christianity, we call this fellowship. In business and entrepreneurship, we call it networking. In any realm, it is the reality that we are not alone and the assurance that others are engaged in the mission that helps encourage us.

FOCUS -Christian words for this are obedience and faithfulness. We focus on what we are doing and let lesser things go. We keep eyes on the prize and invest our time, energy, and love in what produces lasting results and deep change.

Stand, withstand, and abound or, you could say, ground, rebound, and abound. That is the threefold admonition.

Finally, he gives a grand assurance - Your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

God knows it is hard. You know it and God knows it. Sometimes you just don't want to get up and have no idea where the energy will come from or how to muster the will, but you do in faith and it comes.

God knows it is discouraging. You will not always be complemented, appreciated, or affirmed. Stay with it. It is not in vain. There will come a day. The story has been told so many times that no one really knows the source or whether it is fiction or history. It may not be true, but it is truth:

An old missionary couple had been working in Africa for years and were returning to New York to retire. They had no pension; their health was broken; they were defeated, discouraged, and afraid. They discovered they were booked on the same ship as President Teddy Roosevelt, who was returning from one of his big-game hunting expeditions.

No one paid any attention to them. They watched the fanfare that accompanied the President's entourage, with passengers trying to catch a glimpse of the great man. As the ship moved across the ocean, the old missionary said to his wife, "Something is wrong." "Why should we have given our lives in faithful service for God in Africa all these many years and have no one care a thing about us? Here this man comes back from a hunting trip and everybody makes much over him, but nobody gives two hoots about us."

"Dear, you shouldn't feel that way", his wife said. He replied "I can't help it; it doesn't seem right."

When the ship docked in New York, a band was waiting to greet the President. The mayor and other dignitaries were there. The papers were full of the President's arrival. No one noticed this missionary couple. They slipped off the ship and found a cheap flat on the East Side, hoping the next day to see what they could do to make a living in the city.

That night the man's spirit broke. He said to his wife, "I can't take this; God is not treating us fairly". His wife replied, "Why don't you go in the bedroom and tell that to the Lord?"

A short time later he came out from the bedroom, but now his face was completely different. His wife asked, "Dear, what happened?" "The Lord settled it with me", he said. "I told Him how bitter I was that the President should receive this tremendous homecoming, when no one met us as we returned home. And when I finished, it seemed as though the Lord put His hand on my shoulder and simply said;

"But you're not home yet."

That is because God knows the outcome. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard; neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the things that God hath prepared for them that love Him."

Friday, August 24, 2007

Saturday, August 11, 2007

At this very moment, out of the 1470 people receiving this bulletin, someone is considering quitting.

It is not their job that they are tempted to walk out on, or necessarily their marriage, or anything that anyone will immediately notice. It is something far more important ... their dreams.

Someone is about to give up on their dreams and it will show gradually and in very subtle ways.

They are discouraged and hopeless and the rewards just are not coming from their efforts.

I have one word for you, dear friend, and it is not necessarily brilliant. There will be tomorrow. You will have countless opportunities to quit. Quitting will always be an option for you unless and until you come to the place of deciding that it is not. Here is the word: WAIT.

I am just saying, wait. Don't quit today. Give it another day and get back with me. You have no idea what inspiration, burst of energy, word of encouragement, seed of an idea, or Word from God is right around the corner for you.

You just don't know. You still have some strength; use it to get through the day. you still have some faith; apply it. You still have time; you don't have to quit today.

Down time is OK. in fact, it is sometimes necessary. Down time is waiting time - time to "not quit."

There is always tomorrow to throw away your hopes, dreams, ideas, and the investments you have already made. You don't have to quit today.

Wait.

I know you can do that. While you are waiting to regain your belief in yourself, use a little of mine in you.

We can do anything we want if we stick to it long enough. Helen Keller

If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember that this whole thingwas started with a dream and a mouse.Walt Disney

Whatever you can do or dream, you can begin it.Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin now!Goethe

Humanity cannot forget its dreamers. It cannot let their ideas fade anddie. It lives in them. It knows them as the realities which it shall oneday see and know. Composers, sculptors, painters, poets, prophets and sages these are the makers of tomorrow. These are the architects of heaven.John Donne

Commit yourself to a dream. Nobody who tries to do something great but fails is a total failure. Why? Because he can always rest assured that hesucceeded in life's most important battle; he defeated his fear of trying.Dr. Robert Schuller

One of the fastest growing shopping centers on the planet is available to many people by taking a few short steps in the pajamas, sitting down at their computers, and logging on to the Internet. More and more people are shopping online for everything from tires to college education, from hardware to nutritional products, and even for groceries. That is right! Groceries. look at this to prove it:

So, why do people shop online? There are several reasons that pop out at me immediately:

1) Convenience. You really can shop in your pajamas. There is no travel, no loading and unloading from the car, and no hassles. A few clicks and you are done.

2) Reduced temptation for impulse buying. It really is a more considered shopping environment. You do not tend to be tricked into getting what you do not need because it smells good and looks good.

3) Bargains. Because there is more direct distribution, you can often get better quality at better prices.

4) Savings in the cost of gasoline and wear and tear on your car.

5) Wider selection. you don't have to drive from store to store, just surf a little for the best prices and selection.

6) Time savings. You are busy and online shopping is quicker.

7) Fun. it really is fun to shop online.

There are other good reasons for online shopping, but these should be enough.

With so many people moving to online malls, there is a great opportunity for online entrepreneurs to get involved in any number of businesses that transact commerce over the Internet. These eliminate the need to prepare invoices, collect debts, and even take orders. It is all automated. It is a win for the consumer and it is a win for the merchant.

What one factor can make all the difference in your life? Your attitude! In this life-changing volume, the best-selling author of The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership shows how a positive outlook can revolutionize your ability to overcome and grow from common challenges such as discouragement, change, problems, fear, and failure. 208 pages; 5" x 7"; Hardcover.

Wondering how to apply leadership principles if you're not the boss? Maxwell has answers! Debunking myths and clarifying challenges, the popular author asserts that you don't have to be the "main" person to impact your organization. You'll discover specific ways to influence peers and superiors-and become a more valuable team member.

After Steven Scott flunked out of six jobs in his first four years after college, his best friend, Gary Smalley, offered one simple suggestion that would transform his life: study a chapter in Proverbs every day. Two years later, using the amazing strategies he gleaned from Solomon, Scott started a small business. In this life-changing book, Scott reveals Solomon's often-overlooked wisdom for achieving breakthrough success in one's work, health, marriage, and relationship with God.

Drawing on experiences from his work with Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, and individual leaders, Dr. Henry Cloud, a clinical psychologist and nationally syndicated radio host, shows how our character can keep us from achieving all we want to (or could) be.

In Integrity, Dr. Cloud explores the six qualities of character that define integrity. He uses stories from well-known business leaders like Michael Dell and sports figures like Tiger Woods to illustrate each of these qualities. He shows us how people with integrity:

Now readers can approach the new millennium by incorporating Burkett's tried and true advice into their business world with this updated edition of the best-selling classic containing some of the actual study material used in Burkett's worldwide seminars.

Is your professional commitment wavering? Do you just want to get the job done and go home? Find fresh energy and creativity for your life and work by imitating the example of Sanborn's postman, "Fred." Four Bible-based principles will help you make a difference every day, excel in your career, and make your daily life extraordinary. 114 pages, hardcover from Waterbrook.

What's the secret to living a truly extraordinary life? John Bolin goes straight to the source for a Christ-inspired approach to personal growth and leadership development. Based on Luke 2:52, Life Unlimited helps readers develop in the same ways that Jesus did: mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially. Bolin has included a step-by-step program that allows readers to begin putting the principles into practice and achieve greater influence for God. A balanced and meaningful life is within reach!

Many books stress the need to be "marketplace ministers." An equal or greater number tell you why you should be in marketplace ministry. About My Father's Business tells you how, offering proven methodology for becoming a spiritual leader at work, regardless of position or title. Regi Campbell has more than twenty years of experience learning and implementing these strategies in companies small and large. With refreshing transparency, he shares struggles to save his marriage, build his career, and pursue his mission to have influence for Jesus Christ with coworkers. The result is a practical guide for reconciling the quest for corporate accomplishment with the call to be a disciple of Christ 24/7.

M - MANAGE it; never let it manage you. It is a great slave and a poor master. Love people and use money; not the reverse. It is not money, but the love of money that is the root of all evil.(I Timothy 6:10). in fact, Ecclesiastes 5:10 says that the person who loves money never has enough. Management is what stewardship is all about. It is all God's money and He has given us management responsibility for it.

O - Let it bring you OPPORTUNITIES and let OPPORTUNITY bring money to you. It will enable you to embrace those opportunities as they come along and seizing opportunities for success will enable you to accumulate more. In Luke 10, the Good Samaritan could not have been as helpful to the wounded and robbed man if he had not had the money to pay for his care.

N - Take care of the NECESSITIES before you start on the frivolities. Though not always seen as a necessity by all, building a business, profession, or income form the future is essential. Build your source of income first before you build a lifestyle. (Proverbs 24:27). we also need to have the integrity to pay our bills before we purchase luxuries.

E - EXPAND the reach of your influence using money as a tool. Proverbs 11:25 says that a generous man will prosper. Proverbs 22:9 says that he will be blessed. Proverbs 17:8 says that "a bribe is a charm to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds." Since verse Proverbs 17:23 frowns on bribes being received to pervert justice, this might be understood as a gift given to open doors in a business relationship. Money in good peoples' hands can do a lot of good in the world.

Y - Say "YES" to options, yes to people, and yes to God. How many times have you had to say "no" because you were in financial bondage to debt or lack of positive cash flow? Money can be a tool for freedom in its proper perspective. II Corinthians 1:20 says, " For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God."

Monday, May 14, 2007

Proverbs 14:23 - "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty."

In today's readings of Proverbs, one stands out to be as instructive in the matter of work and wealth.

It has to do with the value of hard work and it suggests that there is always profit in hard work.

It does not define that profit as always being a commission at the end of the day. in fact, the profit for today may be that step of character development that leads to the next level of skill that leads to eventual income.

The harvest, the sale, the royalty, or the commission may be off in the distance, but today's hard work is contributing to that pay off.

On the other hand, the fruit of mere talk is clearly defined as poverty - no money, no profit, no advance toward one's goals. Talk is good, but mere talk is fruitless. More than that, it is a thief, robbing us of precious time and draining our energy and enthusiasm.

Your assignment for today is to do something to advance toward your goals. Do something purposeful and intelligent. Don't wait for it to be the perfect something. Don't wait for a guaranteed and immediate payoff. Make an effort, the best you can with what you have and what you know right now. Be willing to make some mistakes and move forward.

There will be profit in it.

It pays well.

Some suggestions for doing SOMETHING today are:

1. S - Serve . if you can't thing of anything else to do, serve someone in some way. if you are in business, do something to serve your clients or customers. If you are in ministry, serve the people God has called you to shepherd. Do something unexpected and unprompted.

2. O - Out-perform yesterday's effort. Take it to the next step or level. Compete only with yourself and out-perform yourself.

3. M - Mean it. If you do something, do it with your heart. Guy Williams is a master. I sit in the back of a Starbucks - HIS Starbucks - and watch him talk to everyone within any proximity of him. He represents an extremely credible company with a dynamic product and a powerful business opportunity and he never sells. He just talks to people. as he says, "When it goes from your head to your heart, the rest is a slam dunk." He means it.

4. E - Expect something. Our proverb doesn't exactly tell us what to express in terms of profit, but it tells us to expect SOME SORT OF PROFIT. That is because it is a timeless law of God's universe. The universe did not create that law. God did and God enforces it. He rewards honest, purposeful effort and the positive attitude that believes His word on the matter to be true.

5 - T - Talk, but Temper Talk with Traction. Traction happens when we dig in and move our wheels across the surface. It requires some inner propulsion and intentionality, but there is no advantage to our endlessly gunning our engines to gear up for activity. Act and move.

6 - H - Hang out and Hang in. Your work will most likely involve "being there" where people are. Sometimes the first thing you need to do is put yourself in the right location. From that point, be open, available, and consistent. for much of what you want to accomplish, you will need to make friends over the long haul. Hang in there with your hanging out - but get out today and start hanging.

7 - Insist on your own activity, you are your own supervisor. No one else is going to make you do what needs to be done. accountability partners are helpful and running buddies are necessary encouragement, but there is no substitute for self-motivation. Take care of it. read what you need to read. Listen to enough of what pumps you up and then, when you still don't feel like doing something, do it any way. insist on it.

8 - N - Need what you are working for. Need it deeply. Find that place inside of you that longs for the fruit of your labors. Cultivate the need. Visualize the payoff. Keep it before you. Need it.

9 - GO for it! At some point you have read all the points and it is time to take action. go out and do so.

(Fortune Magazine) -- In 1982, Chris Gardner was just another go-getter in the training program at Dean Witter's San Francisco office, making $1,000 a month. He was also homeless. Gardner couldn't afford both day care for his 20-month-old son, whom he was raising alone, and a place to live.

So for a year he and Chris Jr. slept where they could - cheap hotel rooms in West Oakland, a shelter at a church in the Tenderloin, under his office desk, even, on occasion, the bathroom at the Bay Area Rapid Transit MacArthur station. He remembered the words of his mother, Bettye Jean Triplett, another single parent, who grew up during the Depression outside Rayville, La., where slavery was still a living memory: "You can only depend on yourself. The cavalry ain't coming."

Looking up: Gardner is enjoying watching his life turn into a major movie.

So Gardner worked, making 200 calls a day to snag clients for Dean Witter. "Every time I picked up the phone," he recalls, "I knew I was getting closer to digging myself out of the hole." Within five years he had opened his own institutional brokerage firm in Chicago called Gardner Rich, which is still thriving today.

Then, in 2002, a story on local TV set in motion a series of events that will culminate this December, when a movie based on his life, "The Pursuit of Happyness", hits the theaters, with Will Smith playing the lead role.

Have you ever discovered that your zipper is down and wondered how long you had been parading around in this condition and why no one informed you?

They may have been too embarrassed.

The solution is to let you be embarrassed.

How do you navigate these sensitive situations? I had an article up here with a severely misspelled title for at least a week. I spelled "wealth" as "welath."no one said anything - or noticed - OR did they? I was embarrassed - but not much.

I misspell all the time, but usually not in a title.

Should someone have said something or would that have been nit picky?

I just finally saw "The Pursuit of Happiness" last night - at least I thought I did. Then I looked and it was spelled HAPPYness - just like a recurring scene from the movie where Chris Gardner is repeatedly annoyed at the misspelling on a wall in his neighborhood.

It is funny how little things keep us from focusing on the pursuit of the BIG things.

Ultimately, they did not stop Chris Gardner. See the movie and read the book if you are discouraged, thinking of giving up, or devastated by a zipper down after being in public for hours. Few people have had to overcome the challenges he faced on the road to success, but everyone has their own.

To learn more about Chris, his philosophy, philanthropy, and work, go to his official site.

I just finished Bob Burg's book and audio set, "Winning Without Intimidation." Bob is REAL. His authenticity is evident to everyone he meets. He treats all people the same - as if they were the most important people in the world - and he wins - and they win! he might have an answer to the zipper question.

By the way, the whole zipper/mispeelink thing was just a point of inspiration and a launch pad for me to start writing this morning. Whether you are pursuing wealth or welath, the pursuit is the it of it and it will be hampered if you major on the minor distractions or allow perfectionism to become an excuse for inaction.

The conditions were never just right for Chris Gardner to pursue his goals and they will never be just right for you - so get started now! There is no better time.

While we are at it, let's embrace a new philosophy of WELATH.

W - Welcome life with all its imperfections, embarrassing moments, and hardships because there will be m ore joys that sorrows if you will pursue them and embrace them.

E - Elevate others along the way and build them up rather than tearing them down.

L - Live, Laugh, Love with expectancy, wonder, and authenticity.

A - Accept Abundance as the true measure of wealth. Abundance means that there is more than absolutely necessary for mere survival. Abundance is accepting grace as a lifestyle and as n endless supply from a generous God to children He loves. It also means that we appreciate what we receive and receive it with giddy joy.

T -Take the steps necessary to move incrementally toward your goals of wealth or welath. Just like it doesn't ultimately matter if you mess up the letter order, there may be some play ion the order in which you take these steps, but take them and do not expect to arrive quickly. "Get rich quick" almost always implies gimmickry. The studies i am doing loosely, informally, and occasionally from Proverbs on wealth and work all point to this reality. you could also call it TIME. Take Time!

H - Hope and keep hoping. Never surrender your possibility view of things to come. That which is not can be. Persevere with hope!

I am on a personal retreat in the Sierra right now. I drove into Sonora to do my blogging at a Starbucks. I always appreciate my friends, the Greens for their generous offering of their cabin in the hills for my study and enrichment time. I also appreciate their cable television, but I must say that it is sometimes a distraction from my mission.

This time the cable is off and I am grateful. It has forced me in two directions:

(1) I am taking fewer breaks to catch the latest repeats of old news on CNN.(2) It has forced me to watch the encouraging videos I brought from home in the evening while I am sorting papers. In addition the "The Pursuit of Happyness," I finally watched, "Facing The Giants."

I was tearfully encouraged and you will be too. Then, you may want to read the book. You can probably get the video at the same link:

Monday, April 09, 2007

No one system of commerce has received as much enthusiasm on one sign and criticism on the other. I am a big supporter of the concept of network marketing for reasons I state below. However, it is important to factor in some questions when choosing to affiliate with one of the many fine network marketing companies available:

1. Is this a company YOU want to be associated with? Do they have the track record, integrity, management, and stability necessary to meet YOUR needs?

2. What organization and team will you be joining within the company? What is its training system like? Do you like and can you relate to the leaders? Are they supportive and helpful? Can they lead you to success?

3. Is the product needed, compelling, credible, and something you can be passionate about?

4. Are you willing to invest the time, effort, and money in my training and in the promotion of my business that it will take to succeed? Am you willing to take ownership of the responsibility for your own success?

5. Are you willing to grow, change, and be challenged? Can you take direction, criticism, and help?

6. Is the compensation system sound and is it something that rewards success and organizational growth?

7. Do you like people or are you willing to learn to like people?

8. Are you willing to put in one full year of effort before assessing success or failure?

If you can answer most of those questions affirmatively, here are some reasons I believe you should give it a shot:

* Network marketing is based upon the Golden Rule - It is about helping other people. The mentor does not benefit from the person being mentored unless he or she helps that person become successful. He does not give advice that is not to the mutual benefit of both.

* Network marketing is based upon a multiplication of influence model. A person becomes effective by leveraging time and influence and developing leaders.

* Network marketing is a way of helping people develop their fullest potential, to do what others say can't be done.* Network marketing helps people develop character. Unless there is character development, success is unlikely.

* Network marketing thrives is an atmosphere of integrity, honesty, and excellence. Since it utilizes word of mouth as its primary means of advertising, it is absolutely necessary to maintain a high regard for truth and quality.

* Network marketing rewards effort. It thrives on the law of sowing and reaping.

Monday, March 26, 2007

Excerpts on Entrepreneurship

A Few Moments in the Limelight Can Boost a Small Business - SmartMoney.com, March 12, 2007 BUSINESS OWNERS EAGER for exposure can only dream of the celebrity attention that Stacey Griffin of New Orleans is getting. Griffin started a new business in December selling eight-ounce boxes of purified water called Aqua2Go. The product, designed for kids and adults alike, is convenient like a juice box (and even comes with a straw) but contains water instead of a sugary-sweet beverage. With limited resources for marketing, "I started sending emails to everyone and anyone I could think of," she says.

The Entrepreneur's Challenge In Nigeria - Forbes.com, March 7, 2007 Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has set an ambitious goal: He wants the country to become one of the world's top 20 economies during the next two decades. To hit that target by 2020, Nigeria will need to increasingly globalize education in two key areas: Information and communications technology, and entrepreneurship. In fact, Obasanjo has mandated that all university students in Nigeria, regardless of their major, will need to study entrepreneurship.

Need Ideas Marketing A Small Business? - NewsReleaseWire.com, March 7, 2007 Just starting out doesn’t have to mean spending on expensive marketing and branding activities. New business opportunities will be missed if new business owners spend all their start-up money outsourcing these activities, but they can learn to do marketing and branding themselves.

New investment fund for startups - suntimes.com, February 26, 2007 A new $10 million investment fund for early-stage startups, the Illinois Innovation Accelerator Fund, backed by state taxpayers and local investors, will be unveiled today.

Entrepreneurship Week USA - What's Your BIG Idea? Take It On! - The Public Forum Institute, February 7, 2007 From February 24 to March 3, 2007, EntrepreneurshipWeek USA will be a collection of thousands of activities, ranging from high school competitions to academic gatherings and local town halls to a national policy summit. More than 700 organizations throughout the country have answered the call, planning activities in all fifty states.

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Welcome to a Vital Community Resource

Central Valley Christian Network is a great asset to the Christian community in Fresno and the Central Valley and is a fine example of entrepreneurial initiative. I was able to post an announcement for The Entrepreneur's Table meetings of our church on their site with great ease and a link back here. We'd like to welcome anyone coming from that link and congratulate CVCN for a job well done.

By the way, when you are near Fresno, drop in on one of our meetings:

The Entrepreneur's Table is a educational, support, and encouragement ministry as well as a leads group for believers who wish to apply biblical principles to their businesses and entrepreneurial initiatives.

Participants are welcome to bring their own dinner and share together while they eat.

We meet in the Fellowship Hall at Baptist Temple, the Fellowship of Joy, 4141 N. Fresno St. between Ashlan and Dakota.

The entrepreneurial urge is the motivational edge of men and women who love to develop bold initiatives and who change the world little by little.

When Steve Jobs approached John Sculley, then C.E.O. at PepsiCo about coming on board at Apple, he posed this question:

"Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to change the world?"

No doubt, Jobs knew that the question would go to the heart of Sculley's "urge" and elicit the desired response.

Do you want to change the world?

That is what entrepreneurs do every day. They change it person by person, idea by idea, perception by perception, piece by piece. They do it the way you eat an elephant, one bite at a time.

Here is an acronym for URGE. I am making it up as I write it here:

U = Urgency. That is what an urge is, an inner sense of urgency that says that something has to be done and it has to be done now and by YOU!

R = Resources. The entrepreneur may or may not have adequate resources, but she is willing to invest whatever she has and look for the rest. She is, after all, resourceful and sometimes that means being very creative.

G = Grandiosity. The entrepreneurial urge is to think big - bigger than is practical, vaster than the present reality, greater than others can imagine. You see it when others don't.

E = Energy. This is so vital to the entrepreneurial mindset and spirit. Energy flows and is directed toward the point of focus. The entrepreneur makes other people tired because he is tireless and does not quit.

Monday, March 19, 2007

According to several recent surveys, more women than ever are seeking to leave full-time jobs and return home to become stay-at-home moms or to operate home-based businesses.

However, many of these stay-at-home moms who have chosen to start an at-home business have discovered that there are not enough hours in the day to accomplish all that needs to be done. Read More!

In fact, some feel as if they are busier than when they worked full time outside the home.

10 tips for managing timeWorking at home requires a certain level of flexibility and liberty, but daily abandoning scheduled work can lead to an unhealthy business. “The Lord your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body…for the Lord will again rejoice over you for good” (Deuteronomy 30:9-10).

The following are 10 tips that will help any stay-at-home mother manage her home business.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Carving Out the Time

A minority of the people who have great dreams and the drive to to live them have the time necessary to build what is in their heart. Hearty souls do it anyway. They carve out time in small segments. They build their businesses in the cracks and crevices of their schedules. They get up early and go to bed late. They turn off their televisions. They consolidate trips. They do more than one thing at the same time.

They are creative with time and committed to their vision.

Do you waste time? Is it possible that some of you who said "no" might not realize that you do? Have you carefully considered how to be more time efficient and still have time for rest and family?

Sometimes it is a matter of optimum time. There are rhythms and tides in your day and week that, when fully appreciated and managed, allow you to do the right thing at the right time and get more done. Pay attention to the tides.

No one has done anything great just because they had a lot of time on their hands. No one has been hindered from greatness just for a lack of time.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

5 Vital Signs of Healthy Leadership

Written by Mike Tucker

Vital signs help medical professionals assess the health of patients under their care. Vital signs are a quick and effective way of diagnosing a patient’s health. Assessing leaders in a local church is more difficult. How can church leaders know if they are leading their churches in a healthy way?

The Apostle Paul was a healthy leader. In his letter to the church at Philippi we discover five vital signs of healthy leadership.

Vital Sign #1: Healthy Leaders Demonstrate Spiritual VitalityPaul was a healthy leader because he was spiritually vibrant and alive. In Philippians 1:21 Paul stated: “For me, living in Christ and dying is gain.” Paul shared the secret to spiritual vitality: We must move from a self-directed life to a God-directed life. Ministry leadership in the church is not about us. It’s not about buildings, budgets, or baptisms – healthy leadership is all about God’s presence in our lives.

Paul’s’ leadership was rooted in healthy theology. His leadership was spiritually vibrant and alive because he had a healthy perspective. Because Paul surrendered all he had to Jesus he didn’t fear death. He was able to demonstrate courage regardless of circumstances. Paul’s example reminds us that spiritual vitality begins with surrender, gains a proper perspective, and is lived out in courage.

Vital Sign #2: Healthy Leaders Are Motivated by a Compelling VisionPaul was consumed by a compelling vision. He understood his mission to share the gospel and nothing could stop him. Even being under house arrest couldn’t stop him. In Philippians 1:12 he shared: “How I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has actually resulted in the advancement of the gospel.” He shared the gospel with prison guards.

Healthy leaders are passionate and motivated by a compelling vision. Healthy leaders know who they are and what God wants them to do. Vision propels them forward. It’s always about tomorrow, never yesterday. Healthy leaders are “tomorrow people” – reaching, serving, and leading to grasp and obey the vision God has for them.

A compelling vision simplifies matters. It cuts through the fog of activity and takes hold of us. Healthy leaders with a compelling God-sized vision have no trouble getting up in the morning. They look forward to the ministry God has in store for them. Ministry isn’t a chore – it’s a calling.

Vital Sign #3: Healthy Leaders Commit to Ongoing LearningIn Philippians 3:10,12 Paul prayed, “ My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings…Not that I have already reached the goal…but I make every effort.” In this passage Paul stated that he wanted to know Jesus. He knew he has more to learn.

Healthy leaders look for regular opportunities to “sharpen the saw.” They are lifetime learners who continue to study and grow. Healthy leaders give time to learning new skills that enhance their ability to lead.

Vital Sign #4: Health Leaders Are Relationally ConnectedPaul cherished his relationship with the believers at Philippi. In Philippians 1:3 he said, “I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you.” As a healthy leader Paul has established a partnership with this church. It was based on their common experience together. There are times when leaders must face loneliness, but leadership does not happen in isolation. Healthy leaders resist the temptation to push or pull. Healthy leaders are connected to those they lead.

Unhealthy leaders distance themselves from people. This leads to a lack of fellowship and accountability that can be fatal for a leader’s ministry. Unhealthy leaders let relational problems fester by refusing to deal with them. Repairing relationships is hard and exhausting work but absolutely essential for a healthy leader.

When leaders are vitally connected to others, there is accountability. Healthy leaders surround themselves with people who are willing to hold them accountable. Everyone in leadership needs those who love him or her enough to tell him or her when he or she has blown it. Without accountability, pride erodes our ability to lead.

Vital Sign # 5: Healthy Leaders Serve with a Sense of Divine EmpowermentIn Philippians 4:13,19 Paul declared: “ I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me…And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Paul knew that the epicenter of his leadership was Jesus Christ. Paul knew that only when we are totally dependent on God and empowered by His Spirit are we genuinely sufficient.

Healthy leaders know that when their lives are linked with God’s purposes, we share in His resources. Healthy leaders give up their small ambitions because they know God will supply all they need to do His will. They look beyond themselves to see His grand purpose in their lives. And they stimulate others to join them in the greatest adventure of life – serving God and seeing His will unfold before them.

Consider your present ministry. How do you ministry vital signs compare with these of healthy leaders? Are there areas of your life and ministry in which you want to improve? Determine today how you can become a healthier ministry leader.

Because of my disposition, interests, and access, I will seldom consider a business venture anymore that does not have strong internet capabilities for marketing, communication with ones organization, and immediate access to resources, tools, and information.

This may not be the case for everyone, but it for me and I suspect it is for you since you are reading this on the internet.

The link below meets my criteria for this concern. If their web presentation is attractive to you, it will also be so to those you may refer:

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

We gathered around the table last night at the Fellowship of Joy to study "Chasing Daylight" and do our Entrepreneur's Table study. I had assigned some dreaming and got more than I expected. The groupo came back with a big, really BIG dream. In fact, it was one that I had had and expaned.

It just goes to show you what can happen when you re;lease people with sanctified imaginations.

About Me

I am a pastor, writer, life coach, and online community developer. I am senior pastor of Baptist Temple, the Fellowship of Joy in Fresno, CA. and owner of Workshops to Go and Church Newsletters PLUS. I am a husband, father of two adult sons, and grandfather of 3 children.